Why Negative Reviews can Have Positive Results

When running a hotel, Airbnb or hostel, encouraging your guests to give you a review can be scary, but it could be crucial if you want more bookings. A study by SiteMinder shows that almost 80% of TripAdvisor users will read up to a dozen reviews before they book a hotel, showing just how important they are to your business.

A good review will make people more likely to choose your property on channels such as Booking.com or Airbnb. Because let’s be honest, we don’t usually click on a hotel with a 2/5 review score, I think we’re all looking for at least a 4/5 right?

Of course it’s not all about receiving more guests but also about showing your current and potential guests that you care about them. This will help you to enhance customer relationships and gain the loyalty of your guests.

Asking them to provide feedback about their stay shows that you want them to have the very best experience and that you are open-minded enough to make changes when needed. And really, who wouldn’t love the idea of that!

So what do you do if you get that bad review you were so worried about? First, don’t panic. When looking for a place to stay, a guest might actually want to read a bad review here and there. Looking at hotels with nothing but positive reviews can make a guest a little suspicious, because have you ever stayed at a hotel where everything was 100% perfect? I know I haven’t.

Secondly, remember that all those good ratings are going to look even more fabulous against those that are less enthusiastic. Often, guests like to compare a hotels reviews side by side, and having that comparison can really make your property stand out. Of course this largely depends on your response and how you deliver it. Check out our previous post for more suggestions on how you can respond to your guests reviews.

Finally, always try to view the opinions of your guests as helpful learning curves. Reviewers rarely have malicious intentions and criticism, if it’s constructive, can help you get your property back on the right track. For example a review stating that the guest found the pool was dirty will help you monitor the cleaning procedures better and as a result, provide your guests with a better overall experience.

Overall, a bad review is not always that bad and should definitely not stop you from asking your guests for feedback.